Thomas Booze, Clarence Harris, Steve Maddox, Jody Ruffner, Preston Taylor, Jr. (E.C. Ernst, Inc.); Project - Center Oak Plaza Telecom Lab, Sterling, VA.

Steve Bennett, Mike Breece, Woody Kheav, Josh Martin, Polohn Men, John Richards (J.E. Richards, Inc.); Project - Verizon Business Services, Ashburn, VA.

Kenny Blinkhorn, Tom Crown, Bernie Long, John Roy, Andy Weaver, Chris White (Dynalectric Company); Project - U.S. Department of Transportation Headquarters, Washington, DC.

Ed Bihlear, Charles DePhillip, Dean Filomena, Gary Hutt, Rich Ladow, Shane Sparks (Truland Walker Seal Joint Venture); Project - New Carrollton Yard, Lanham, MD.

Mark Calevro, Wayne Chittum, Larry Hambrick, Jorge Rubio, Justin Tomlinson, Glen Treadway (Truland Systems Corporation); Project - Sterling Park Technology Center, Sterling, VA.

William Brown, James Lacey, Joe Peterson, Brian Slade (Truland Systems Corporation); Project - Manassas Data Center, Manassas, VA.

Mike Devine, Joe Fuentes, Bill Noel, Tom Russek, Stacey Smeltzer, David Thomas (Dynalectric Company); Project - ACC3 Data Center, Ashburn, VA.

Gerald Brevard, Channing Crawford, Robert Crawford, IV, Buddy McDowell, Justin McDowell, Paul Zusi (Power Solutions, LLC); Project - Amazon.com, Ashburn, VA.

Skip Adkins, David Hill, Glenn Laser, Nate Schaefer, Roger Schreiner, Mike Thir (Natelco Corporation); Project - Energy Building #4 Infrastructure Buildout, Silver Spring, MD.

* Doug Abramczyk, Bobby Allen, Randy Donahue, Todd Collins, Jack Friend, Al Patterson (Mona Electric Group, Inc.); Project - Howard Hughes Medical Institute - Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, VA.

Mike Breece, Perry Diorio, Apericio Merino, Lloyd Roberts, Rick Thomas, Lenny Trilli (J.E. Richards, Inc.); Project - Alston & Bird, Washington, DC.

Oscar Barrerra, Roger Caldwell, Larry Graves, DeAngelo Jordan, Andre Murphy, Ken Pratt (Perlectric, Inc.); Project - WilmerHale, Washington, DC.

Dave Allison, Nicholas Buckler, Tom Lysinger, Jim Markley, Matt Wells, Mike Young (Dynalectric Company); Project - U.S. Department of Transportation Headquarters, Washington, DC.

Mark Ambrosini, Kelly Brown, Justin Bukowski, Wilfredo Gonzalez, Kevin Metz, Tom O’Hagan (Freestate Electrical Construction Company); Project - Capital One Lecture Hall, McLean, VA.

Brian Brogan, Donald Bruch, Ananias Gonzalez, Tommy Reese, Andres R. Sincek (Walker Seal Companies, Inc.); Project - National Museum of the Marine Corps, Triangle, VA.

* Joe Breen, Clint Cantrell, Sean Easterlin, Keith Holt, Jeff Watson, Charlie Wise (Mona Electric Group, Inc.); Project- Howard Hughes Medical Institute - Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, VA.

Greg Cobaugh, Daniel DeFrancesco, Eric Harbour, Garth Kelly, Landon Milstead, Bob Spittle (Singleton Electric Co., Inc.); Project - National Zoological Park Asia Trail, Washington, DC.

Jim Higgs, Ken Hunsberger, Danny Koontz, Rick Koppenhaver, Danny Marker, Buddy Pitsnoger (Ellsworth Electric, Inc.); Project - Rockville Library, Rockville, MD.

Rich Ladow, Dean Leyh, Dan Posey, Ramsford Robinson, Joe Shellimi, Ryan Walls (Truland Walker Seal Joint Venture); Project - New Carrollton Yard, Lanham, MD.

Jeffrey Courtney, Peter Derosier, Daniel Harrington, Joel Hileman, James Mitchell, Philip Vincent (Dynalectric Company); Project - ACC3 Data Center, Ashburn, VA.

Julian “Jay” Jones, Douglas Melcher, Frank Nealis, John Sanders, Anthony Smith, Fernando Troncoso (Dynalectric Company); Project - Mirant Power Plant Chalk Point, Aquasco, MD.

Charles R. Martin, Jr., David W. Moore, James Pumputis, Jaime Ricardo Reyes, Mark G. Sleeman (Mona Electric Group, Inc.); Project - Intelsat, Washington, DC.

Frank Abner, Dave Case, Steve Delaney, Jim Epperson, Mike Vanduzer, Richard Yuracka (Mona Electric Group, Inc.); Project - Howard Hughes Medical Institute - Janelia Farm Research Campus, Ashburn, VA.

Michael Heflin, Michael Kaline, Scott Rhodes, Anthony Zovko (Freestate Electrical Service Company); Project - IBEW Local 26 JATC, Lanham, MD.

Congratulations to everyone, and thank you for upholding our motto, “Craftsmanship with Pride”.

You only have to look as far as recent news articles to appreciate what Unions provide for workers. On Wednesday, March 28th, Circuit City announced that they will cut 3,400 jobs. Their reason is that eight percent of their workforce earn well above the local market rate for the types of jobs they held at its stores. However, in eleven weeks, the terminated employees will be able to apply for their old positions at a lower rate of pay.

The Circuit City CEO received $1.4 million in salary and bonuses plus 340,000 in stock option shares and $96,929 in other compensation.

Last summer, Wal-Mart capped the pay of its veterans at levels consistent with competitors’ top wages. Wal-Mart did not lay off those who earned above a certain amount, but did stop giving increases. Home Depot will assign more responsibilities to fewer workers so that management can improve its bottom line. Employers determine the prevailing market wages for particular jobs in various geographic regions and then find ways to make sure that their workers’ salaries stay within that range. This is Corporate America’s way to try to set all the terms and conditions for employment.

In 1914, Henry Ford’s company, using the assembly line and standardized interchangeable parts, greatly increased productivity. However, due to the monotony of the assembly line work and increased production quotas, they had a forty to sixty percent turnover in the labor force. Ford’s solution to this problem was to double the standard wage in the industry. The net result was increased stability in his labor force and a substantial reduction in operating costs. These factors, coupled with the enormous increase in output made possible by new technological methods, led to an increase in company profits from $30 million in 1914 to $60 million in 1916. It wasn’t until 1941 that Ford was constrained to negotiate a standard labor contract after a successful strike by the workers.

Your Union is the vehicle that provides for your health insurance, job stability, continuing education, decent wages and retirement.

 

 

We would like to make you aware of the following in accordance with the Article III, Sections 8(a) through 8(e) of your Bylaws. Those of you who are planning to seek office in the upcoming election, please be advised that nominations will be held at the General Membership meeting on Friday, May 11, 2007, 8:00 p.m., at 4371 Parliament Place, Lanham, MD 20706. Nominations will be submitted orally from the floor.

The following offices will be open for nominations: President (1), Vice President (1), Recording Secretary (1), Financial Secretary (1), Treasurer (1), Business Manager (1), Executive Board (6), and Examining Board (3). Please be sure to read over Article III in your Bylaws and Article XVI of your Constitution.

In accordance with Article XVI, Section 10 of the IBEW Constitution, no members shall be nominated for office unless they are present or signify their willingness in writing, nor shall they be eligible for any office unless they have been members in continuous good standing at least two (2) years in the Local Union immediately prior to nomination. No apprentice shall be eligible to hold office in the Local Union.

The election shall be conducted by mail ballot, and they shall be counted beginning at 10:00 a.m. on June 8, 2007. All members in good standing shall be mailed a ballot not less then 15 days prior to the above specified date. Ballots received after 10:00 a.m. on June 8, 2007, will not be counted. If a run-off election is required, same shall be held on June 29, 2007. The same rules shall apply to the run-off election as were applicable to the regular election. Instructions on the use of the mail ballot will be enclosed with the ballot.

If a ballot is not received or ruined, replacement ballots may be obtained by making a written request to the Election Judge at P.O. Box 2302, Bowie, MD 20718-2302.

 

 

 

 

Brothers and Sisters, in my last article I encouraged you to participate in the affairs of the Local Union and to attend Local meetings. May’s meeting is nomination night for the officers that will serve you for the coming three years, and you will receive mail-in ballots soon thereafter. It is so important that you take time to vote and return those ballots, as the outcome will determine the direction the Local Union will head in the future. Participation is the only way your ideas can be heard, so make it a point to attend this very important meeting.

There are many ways to participate in the affairs of Local Union 26 including Christmas parties, the annual picnics, the bowling league, and recently we have started to participate in shooting events. We also have very competitive softball leagues in the metro and Shenandoah zones, so it is not all work. We can share brotherhood away from the workplace too.

 

 

 

 

All Residential Wiremen (RW) who have a current jurisdictional license and three or more years of good standing membership in the IBEW may be eligible for the 2007-2008 Residential Upgrade Program. You must come in to any of our offices to fill out an application. Contact Ms. Wendy Escolero at 301-918-8816 for more details. The deadline for submitting applications to the Examining Board is May 24, 2007. No applications will be accepted for review after that date.

The Retired Members’ Club is taking another bus trip, and all members and guests are invited! This time it’s to the Amish Farmers Market in Annapolis, MD and the Kentmorr Restaurant & Crab House in Stevensville, MD on Thursday, July 19th. At the Amish Market, we will see Amish and Mennonite families from Lancaster, PA. Wares range from delicious foods to organic produce, as well as desserts and snacks to handmade quilts. After our shopping, view the waterfront sights from the Kentmorr Restaurant & Crab House, while enjoying a crab feast. Your scrumptious feast includes all the steamed crabs you can eat, Maryland crab soup, fried chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, corn-on-the-cob, fresh fruit, dessert, iced tea, soda, coffee, and draft beer. Tickets are $53.00 per person. The bus will leave the Local 26 headquarters in Lanham, MD at 10:00 a.m. Please call Rick Warner at 240-472-0438 for more information and to register.

Hello Brothers and Sisters. For months now, I have written about the need for each of us to get involved in some of the many activities that would strengthen our Local Union. Contrary to what some of us may think, it’s not about us – it’s about our union “system”. If we don’t begin to under gird our union system, to strengthen our union system, to grow our union system that the founding fathers put in place for us, then we can expect to see more and more erosion which leads to a weaker and weaker system or movement. Our system needs you and me. And we need to continue to grow. Without growth of our membership, we will certainly go the way of the dinosaur. I’ll end with a Chinese Proverb– “If you want one year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees but if you want one hundred years of prosperity, grow people.”

Do something extraordinary on the job– commit a random act of brotherhood! Build up your co-worker! When you do that, guess what? You’re building up your union! See you at the next Coalition Meeting at 6:00 p.m. right before the General Membership meeting which starts at 8:00 p.m.

 

 

Pictured left, with Jerry Lewis,
Business Agent—
Al Bolton, 50 Year Service Pin

 

 

Did you know that your immediate family members are eligible to join IBEW 26 FCU? Share the wonderful benefits of YOUR FAMILY CREDIT UNION with your family members! Children can use their account in the future to apply for share draft accounts and loans. Sign children up now and be prepared for the future. Once a member, always a member. To open an account, contact the Credit Union office and a membership card will be sent to your home or office. Return the membership card with a check or money order in the amount of $5.00 made payable to IBEW 26 FCU along with a copy of a valid drivers license that shows your current address. We will verify all family members’ eligibility to join. Children who do not have a driver’s license should supply a copy of their social security card. Family members must have the same last name and same current address or proof of relation provided by a copy of a birth certificate or marriage license.

*Important information about procedures for opening a new account: To help the government fight the funding of terrorism and money laundering activities, Federal law requires all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record information that identifies all persons (primary and joint owners) who open an account.

What this means for you when you open an account is that we will ask for your name(s), address, date of birth and other information that will allow us to identify you and any owners of the account. We may also ask to see your driver’s license or other identifying documents.

Sign up for payroll deductions today – a little money put away today adds up to a lot of money later. Every time you receive a raise, increase your payroll deductions. Pay yourself first!
Repay your loan with payroll deductions – never worry about mailing a payment.

Payroll deduct enough money to cover your Union dues then pay them with just a phone call to the Credit Union. All you need when you call the Credit Union is your member number and amount owed for dues.

Payroll deduction cards can be mailed to your home. Be sure you have a share account with the Credit Union before signing up for payroll deductions. All contractors that have a signed agreement with IBEW LU 26 participate in payroll deductions.

 

 

We have mailed 2006 work dues statements to all members who have worked in the jurisdiction of Local 26. Please be sure to look these over and make sure the information on them is correct. Please let us know in the Finance Office if the information is not correct. This is the same information that is received by the benefits office from the employer. Also, if you do not understand the statement or have any questions, please feel free to give us a call.

It is also very important that anyone who moves or changes their phone number contact the Finance Office with the updated information. The Finance Office can be reached through the main number, 301-459-2900. This is especially important this time of the year as we will be holding elections for officers of Local 26 in June. The election is done through the mail so, if we do not have a current address for you, this could be a problem. You want to be sure that your dues are paid up to date as well. If you are not in good standing at the time of the election, it may affect your right to vote. As a reminder, we can take dues payments over the phone with a Visa or Master Card.

Dues for the second quarter were due on April 1st, so check those dues receipts and make sure you are paid through June 2007.